Friday, January 29, 2016

one// Oh my goodness, it's been 2 weeks since my last post! I can't believe how busy life gets and how easy it is to let blogging slip by. We've had an insane last week or so, but I think it's finally back to normal around here. I'm forgiven, right??

two// Last weekend was a Disney weekend!! It was probably the last one for awhile though, which is a bit sad. We decided not to renew our passes while we save up for Blake's new car. We went out with a bang! Our trip started with a reservation at Be Our Guest, which we have been trying to get for months. It so lived up to the hype too. Delicious food and awesome decor! We stayed all three days until the parks closed and we also got to spend each day with different friends. We finished it off with the Star Wars fireworks show at Hollywood Studios-which is incredible! I may even like it better than Wishes...

three// My brother surprised us with tickets to see the Star Trek Ultimate Voyage concert this week! It was a gorgeous symphony that played all of the songs from the various Star Trek shows and movies. The music was set to clips from the shows too. You can't beat live music, even if it's a little nerdy! It was so fun. I loved getting dressed up and doing something a little different.

four// Equal opportunity nerding right now, but you have got to watch this SNL of Kylo Ren's Undercover Boss. It's hysterical!

five// And your weekly Delly! It's probably illegal to drive with your dog in your lap, but she insists and we totally give in.

Friday, January 15, 2016

one// Our week was so crazy.We thought my husband had food poisoning, but when we went to the Urgent Care facility they sent us right over to the ER. Talk about an emotional roller coaster. The doctor was confident it was his appendix, which would mean surgery, and soon. But, they were able to determine that wasn't the problem, and ran countless tests and scans. The ER is a very interesting place, and we were there all day. Long story short they did find a few things on the scans, but nothing that would cause his symptoms. We were so tired at the end of all of that. I was also really happily overwhelmed with all of the love and support we got from family, friends and people in our congregation. The guy is loved!

two// I had a little fun this week working on the blog. January seemed like a good time to start with a few goals that I have for Pugs and Pearls. I set up an advertising page with a great option for you to advertise your own blog on the P&P sidebar! Excited to see some interest in that. I also made a grab button, which I have been meaning to do forever! It's so nice to feel accomplished.

three// January Ipsy Bag arrived! I really love getting this bag each month. Also pictured is the Maybelline Falsies Push Up Drama mascara which I picked up impulsively at the drugstore. I've heard so many good things about it and I'm so excited to try it. You really get your money's worth in these Ispy bags. This month I got a full size eyebrow pencil, eyeliner, eyeshadow, and a double sided eyebrow brush. I also got a Skyn face wipe sample, which will be perfect for my purse.

four// Today was the first day that I noticed a difference in my body after starting a fitness class this month! I kind of sort actually had abs this morning! Whoop whoop! I love this class and it's truly a challenge. I love feeling sore the next day or two, just in time for the next class.

five// SkinnyTaste continues to be one of my favorite recipe blogs! Last night we made these Shrimp Stacks and they were beyond delicious. They don't look very filling, but they are! And pretty easy to make too. They had you use a measuring cup to make the stack-genius!

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Last August I had my very first experience at an Optometrist's office. Growing up I always had perfect vision. Over the summer I started noticing that my distance vision wasn't what it used to be. I had a harder time reading street signs and even watching tv from far away!

I was so happy when my eye doctor told me I wasn't crazy after all and I did indeed require the help of glasses! She said "Now's the fun part! You get to go shopping!" The doctor's office had a small selection of frames to choose from. I pretty quickly narrowed it down to 2 pairs, and finally settled on a pretty simple black pair.

You know when you get a new car and suddenly you start seeing the same car everywhere? That's exactly what happened to me and glasses. Once I needed them, suddenly there was a whole new accessory world out there I had never paid attention to before!

I've been window shopping, for months, on Warby Parker's website! Warby Parker lets you order 5 pairs of glasses to try on at home for free! I finally pulled the trigger and ordered a few pairs to try. You get to wear them for 5 days and then you just drop them in the mail when you are done. Return shipping is free too! I could not wait to check the mail!

I tried on 3 pairs of eyeglasses and 2 pairs of sunglasses. It's pretty obvious that I like a good tortoise shell! But, today I'm also really happy to partner up and help announce Warby Parker's 2016 Spring Collection! This collection was inspired by the Circus and it could not be any cuter. I love that spring equals bright and fun colors and this collection really highlights that.

I'm really excited to dive further into this new accessory world! Warby Parker has so many great options and the fact that you can try before you buy is so great. I have been really happy with my experience so far and I decided to order these sunglasses and these frames. But, I'm also seriously considering ordering a pair from the Spring collection too! What is it about glasses that make you feel so chic and smart?

Leave me a comment: How many pairs of glasses do you have? Are any of them Warby Parker? What do you think of my choices?

Friday, January 8, 2016

one// My mom came *this close* to signing me up for an etiquette class when I was a kid. She had a tough little girl on her hands! Fortunately, while I still think I'm a little bit tough, I really did develop an appreciation for politeness and it's always a goal of mine to refine my personality.

Emily Post is like the name in the etiquette world, and her grandkids are carrying on that legacy. I've been really enjoying their Awesome Etiquette podcast. It's a super modern take on etiquette, and I love the advice they give! It's not just about keeping your pinky finger in the air while you sip your tea-it's about how to be tactful and how to address certain precarious situations with honesty. I've been taking lots of mental notes!

two// I had so much fun on Sunday night watching the premier of Downton Abbey with some fellow fans. We had cookies and hot tea while we watched! Super fun and I continue to love that show. It's the outfits and accents really.

three// Okay, who else is watching The Bachelor!? It's such a guilty pleasure. Last year I even made up a work out to do while I'm watching on Mondays. After the first episode I don't really have a favorite girl, but I will say that I think Ben is going to make a great Bachelor. He seems pretty genuine and not super boring like Chris Soules was.

four// New Balance and RunDisney paired up for an extremely adorable collection for the Disney Marathon this weekend. My love for fitness apparel and Disney collided so nicely! I want to personally start a campaign to have a shoe designed for each princess! And I'd be first in line to buy.

five// This week I signed up for a group fitness class for the entire month of January! I paid upfront, so I'm really hoping that helps with my accountability. Two of my good friends go too, so that will make it more fun! So far I have been SO sore after each class. I decided to lower the weight that I'm using-which sort of feels wrong to say, but with the amount of reps we are doing I have to. There is no reason to be sore for 5 days afterward! I was definitely overdoing it at first. Excited to see some results!

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Last January, like so many others, I set several goals for the new year. How did I do? Eh. So-so. I defiantely accomplished a few, but I will never meet my own standards. This undeniable fact inspired me to take a new approach to setting goals for myself!

If you have a huge list of things that you want to accomplish, it's pretty unlikely that you will be able to complete every single goal. It's just plain impossible to be perfect, much to my dismay. We all have that internal list-lose 10 pounds, save more money, always have my nails done, hang out with friends more often, keep the house spotless...overwhelmed yet?

You can't help but feel overwhelmed when faced with that daunting to-do list. That's why it's so easy to just say you'll start tomorrow. And why I want to approach that list differently. You know that feeling you get when you write down your to-do list and you check off every single thing? It's the best! But, it's such a rare occasion. I want to feel that feeling everyday. So, the solution? Make your list really short.

Every morning write down 2-3 goals for the day. These goals need to be specific and realistic. These 2-3 things are going to be the things that will make you feel the most accomplished for the day. For example: My 2 goals for today are to hit 10,00 steps on my Fitbit and to get to Target to buy a few party supplies. Anything else I accomplish will be be a bonus!

Tonight when I check off both things, I am going to feel awesome. Not only did I get my list finished but I was also able to grocery shop and write a blog post. That is why this works. So many goals and resolutions fail because it's unrealistic to accomplish. You feel guilty and unmotivated when you didn't do it. Anyone can accomplish 2 or 3 things a day. And those 2-3 things can really help you meet your long term goals too! Those 10,000 steps will help me get in shape. I'm buying those party supplies for a party where I will get to be with my friends. Both of those are 2 of my bigger goals!

Leave me a comment: How do you set your goals? Are you good at keeping New Year's Resolutions? Do you even make a goal for the new year?

Monday, January 4, 2016

After emptying out our 2015 memory jar, I was so ready to start filling it back up! We started the new year off with a busy schedule, including a quick family trip down to Tarpon Springs. Our first stop, though, was the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa. No one in the family had ever been and we used my nephew Carter as an excuse to go, even though all the adults were just as excited.

It was a super hot day and I really didn't dress appropriately for the heat. That kind of tainted my experience a little bit. I was pretty uncomfortable. There were so many baby animals at this zoo! The baby elephant was by far the highlight of the day! He or she was having so much fun playing in the water.

The next stop on our weekend away was Tarpon Springs. Tarpon Springs is a little coastal town near Clearwater. It's famous for being a Greek town with a history in the Sponge industry. I happen to have a lot of family history in Tarpon Springs. My dad was so happy to share his heritage with us. I'm having trouble keeping all the facts straight though.

From what I understand my 4 times great grandfather, Ernest Meres and his business partner helped establish the Sponge Exchange in Tarpon Springs. His partner is who went to Greece to recruit sponge divers. Also my 3 times great grandmother Amelia Meres (Mother Meres) was a matriarch of Tarpon Springs who inspired a mural in her honor. She was apparently an amazing gardener and she even ran a hotel. To top it all off my great Grandfather, Col. Salley, was an engineer who designed Howard Park, which is a completely man-made beach. He even received a Great Floridian Award-an award for people who impacted Floridian Culture.

We've visited Tarpon Springs several times throughout my life, including a visit my Grandad's childhood home. It wasn't until this trip that I even got a slight grasp on who everyone was and how they were related to me. Even without all of the personal history, Tarpon Springs is a really cool town to visit. The Greek food alone is worth the drive!

Funny story about this mural. We are pretty sure that isn't really her. I mean it could be, but if you see a real photo of Mother Meres it doesn't really look like her!

Another really cool stop on our tour was the Replay 'Museum'. It was an arcade full of vintage Pinball machines and video games! You just paid for a wrist band and you could literally play the games all day. This of course was the highlight of the trip for Blake. They even had a Fix it Felix game from Wreck it Ralph!

We finished our day with a boat ride! It was technically a dolphin tour, but we only saw a dorsal fin or two. It was SO cold! We went from the hottest day at the zoo, to the coldest day out on the water. The wind was brutal and I pretty much gave up trying to keep my hair untangled. We still had a great time! My sister and I also ended up with matching t-shirts again, it's becoming a tradition. Ironic because we hated matching as kids!

Leave me a comment: How was your start to 2016? Have you ever been to Lowry Park Zoo or to Tarpon Springs? Do you have a lot of family history? Do you find it as hard to keep straight as I do?